JPH0818948A - Method and apparatus for controlling video monitoring - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a method and apparatus for controlling a video surveillance system. CONSTITUTION: The video surveillance system 10 contains plural video cameras 14 generating plural first video signals. A video switcher 20 selects plural video signals from the plural first video signals. A video splitter 30 selects the partial set of the plural video signals and forms a synthesis video signal supplied to an overlay circuit 54. A computer 50 generates diagram information overlapped on the synthesis video signal. The synthesis video signal and overlapped information are displayed on a monitor 60. An input device is provided and diagram information can be operated on the monitor. Then, the cameras, the video switcher or the video splitter are controlled. A data bus 70 transmits control data from the computer to the cameras, the video switcher and the video splitter.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to video surveillance systems, and more particularly to apparatus for controlling video surveillance systems. Such devices have multiple video surveillance cameras and video segmentation devices for displaying multiple images from some or all cameras on a single video monitor.

[0002]

Video surveillance is widely used to enhance the security of premises such as shops, airports, casinos, bus and train stations and factories. Generally, a plurality of video cameras are used to monitor such a premises. It is often desirable to monitor the output of multiple video cameras from a central location. This can be done with known video segmenters. The device is capable of displaying the output of multiple video cameras on a single video monitor in the form of a split screen display.

Video segmenters typically include several inputs for receiving the outputs of multiple video cameras.
The video segmentation device forms a composite signal from the subset of inputs and displays the composite signal on a video monitor. The operator can instruct the video segmenting device to include the output of some or all video cameras in the composite signal for display on the video monitor. This is done by a switch on the video splitter control panel. To change the content, or display, of the composite signal, the operator needs to shift his attention from the video display to the control panel. Control panels are often inconvenient, far from the video monitor. Therefore, the operator must discontinue display monitoring while the video segmenter is adjusted to change the display. Some prior art video splitting devices can be remotely controlled by a computer via a built-in communication port. In such a system, each video camera is assigned a number, and in order to change the output of the video splitter, one has to type in the number on the keypad. This distracts the operator's attention from the video monitor.

[0004]

Accordingly, a video surveillance system having a video splitting device for displaying the outputs of a plurality of video cameras on a single video screen and allowing the operator to make adjustments without distracting the video screens. Is required. It is also necessary for the operator to be able to perform all or most operations for video surveillance from the video monitor.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an apparatus for monitoring several locations with a video camera at those locations. The video splitting device receives a plurality of video signals, selects a subset from the signals, and forms a composite signal from the subsets. A video switch may be provided to select multiple signals from the first signal received from the camera. The computer produces graphic information for display on a video monitor. The processor processes the graphic information so that the graphic information and the composite signal can be displayed on the monitor at substantially the same time. The graphic information includes control information, which is operable on the monitor by the input device to thereby generate control signals for controlling the camera, video segmentation device or switch.

The present invention also includes a method of monitoring multiple locations. Each location is monitored by a video camera. The method includes receiving a plurality of video signals. The plurality of signals may be selected from the first plurality of signals received from the camera by the video switcher. A subset of video signals is selected from the plurality of signals and a composite signal is formed from the subset of video signals by the video segmentation device. The computer generates the graphic information. The composite signal and the graphic information are simultaneously displayed on the monitor. The video segmenter, camera, or video switcher is controlled by manipulating at least some graphical information on a monitor using a computer input device.

[0007]

The following are details of preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is intended to be illustrative, not limiting. The full scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 shows an integrated monitoring device 10 in block diagram form. The following is a table of the main components of the monitoring device 10.

14 video camera 20 video switcher 30 video division device 50 computer (mouse or trackball 5
With 3. ) 57 computer monitor 70 data bus 54 overlay circuit 60 video monitor 80 camera controller

A plurality of video cameras 14 are placed at a plurality of locations 16 for surveillance. Each camera should be capable of tilting, panning and zoom lens adjustments. Each camera also has an iris, i.e., an aperture, for adjusting according to shooting conditions. The video camera 14 includes a communication port 58, which allows the camera to be remotely controlled by a computer 50 via a data bus 70. In a typical application, video cameras 14 are located at various locations 16 within factories, airports, casinos, train or bus stations, and shops. The present invention contemplates hundreds of cameras, each monitoring a particular area. The video camera 14 produces a first plurality of video output signals 18 representing the image on film at a predetermined time.

The camera output signal 18 is fed into a video switch 20 which comprises a plurality of video input ports 22 for receiving the camera output signal 18.
The switch 20 also has a plurality of output ports 24. Video switcher 20 is a large matrix video switcher that can select a second plurality of output video signals 26 from a first plurality of video output signals 18 presented at video input port 22. The output video signal 26 is the output of the video output port 24. For example, 100 video cameras may generate 100 video signals 18. Switch 2
0, for example, allows the user to select 16 of those video signals depending on the capabilities and requirements of the surveillance device 10.
The video switch 20 is provided with an RS232 communication port 28. The communication port 28 allows the computer 50 to control the operation of the video switching device 20 through the data bus 70, and particularly to select the second plurality of video signals as described above. The RS232 port is preferred, but other protocols (communication protocols) may be used. A suitable video switch is the AD2050 Megapower II Matrix Switch and Controller available from American Dynamics, Orangeburg, NY, based on a microprocessor that allows 1024 (4096 expandable) camera inputs.

In the preferred embodiment, the video switcher 20 has 16 video output ports 24, which are also 16 video input ports 32 of the video splitter 30.
Communicate with. Video signal 26 (output by switch 20)
Therefore, the video input port 32 of the video division device 30
Is applied to The video splitting device 30 has a single video output port 34. The video division device 30 uses the video signal 2
6 are received and the user selected subsets of those signals are combined into a single composite video signal 36. The composite video signal 36 is output as a standard video signal at the output port 3
Appears in 4. The user can instruct the video segmenter 30 to select any subset of the video signals 26 from 1 to 16 for inclusion in the composite video signal 36.
The video splitting device 30 also includes an RS232 communication port 38 and receives control data from the computer 50 via the data bus 70. A suitable video segmenter is the MV96 Multivision Plus ^TM color record available from Robot Research, Inc. of San Diego, California.
It is a display multiplexer.

The composite video signal 36 is fed into the communication port 52 of the computer 50. The preferred computer 50 is an Apple Macintosh II personal computer. The communication port 52 is connected to the overlay circuit 54. The overlay circuit 54 includes a composite video signal 36.
A processor for overlaying certain graphical information thereon for forming a composite video display signal 56 at output port 58 for display on video monitor 60.
Schematic information is described below. The overlay circuit 54 is
A color space II video graphics card that is added to an Apple Macintosh II computer. In the device just described overlay circuit 54 receives an analog composite video signal 36. An alternative approach is to digitize the signal 36 and overlay the graphics,
Some display the resulting signal 56 on a computer monitor 57.

The video display signal 56 is fed to the input port 62 of the video monitor 60. Signal 56 is 1, 4, 9
Or 16 video images 66 (1 for the video segmenting device 30)
It has 6 input ports. ) Contains video information.
At this time, depending on the instruction received from the computer 50 at the communication port 38 of the video division device 30, the overlapped computer graphics are overlapped by the overlay circuit 54.
And is supplied by the computer 50.

Computer 50 controls all operation of monitoring device 10. The computer 50 includes an input device 53 that allows an operator to convey instructions to the computer 50. The input device 53 is a mouse or a trackball. For clarity, the input device 53 is referred to herein as a "mouse 53". It should be understood that the term "mouse" herein includes any equivalent computer pointing device. The computer 50 has a data bus 70.
Communication port 72 (preferably RS
232). The data bus 70 is the computer 5
It provides a data communication channel 38 for carrying control information to and from the computer 50. The data bus 70 is
The communication port 38 and the video division device 30 and the communication port 2
8 is connected to the video switcher 20 and a plurality of ports 58 are connected to the video camera 14, respectively.

A camera controller 80 is also installed as part of the surveillance device 10. The camera controller 80 is adapted to control some or all of the video cameras 14. The camera control device 80 is an independent external device including a joystick 82, a numeric keypad 84, and a function control button 86. The camera controller 80 also has a communication port 88.
Have. Communication port 88 enables camera controller 80 to receive control data from computer 50 and output control data to video camera 14 via data bus 70. With the camera controller 80,
The operator assigns the number specified on the camera to the numeric keypad 84.
You can select the camera by tapping. Joystick 82 for camera pan and tilting
It can be adjusted by operating. Other functions of the camera (zoom lens, focus and aperture adjustment, etc.) can be controlled using the function control buttons 86. Computer 50 is programmed to allow an operator to control video camera 14. The same control is performed by controlling the icon (image) on the video monitor 60 or the computer monitor 57 via the camera control device 80 or operating the mouse 53 (in the method described below).

With the apparatus described above, the operator uses the video switcher 20 via the computer 50 to select one of several hundred video signals (first plural signals) from the video camera.
You can select up to 6 video inputs (multiple signals). Further subsets of the selected video inputs are selected and combined into a composite video signal 36 by using a video splitting device. The composite video signal 36 is fed to an overlay circuit 54 of a computer 50 where it is combined with overlay data. The composite video signal with overlay information 58 is then output to video monitor 60 for display.

The display and overlay data appearing on the video monitor 60 will now be described in detail. Signal 56
Appears on the video monitor 60 as part of the display 100 (see FIG. 2). Depending on the output of the video segmenter, the display 100 comprises "n" rectangles 102, where n is preferably 1, 4, 9 or 16. Therefore, the display 100 is 1, 4, 9 or 1
Six equally sized rectangles can be decomposed into a matrix of Each rectangle contains a video image, which under control of the computer 50 corresponds to the image on film by one of the video cameras 14 selected by the video switcher 20 and the video segmenter 30. .

The overlay circuit 54 includes a composite video signal 36.
To form a signal 56 which is displayed on a video monitor 60. Therefore, the composite video signal 36 and the graphical information are simultaneously displayed on the video monitor 60. Depending on the number of rectangles 102, the overlay circuit overlays grid lines 103 to form n rectangles that match rectangles 102. A confirmation number 104 is assigned to each rectangle and displayed to identify the rectangle. The overlay circuit provides an identification number 104 in the lower left corner of each rectangle. Further, the identification number 106 is designated for each video camera 14. The overlay circuit provides an identification number 106 in the lower right corner of each rectangle 102 according to the instructions of the computer 50, and a camera is selected for display by the same number. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the output of camera 23 is displayed in rectangle 1, the output of camera 5 is displayed in rectangle 6, the output of camera 91 is displayed in rectangle 11, and so on.

Computer 50 generates cursor 110, which appears on display 100 by being overlaid on composite video signal 36. The cursor 110 is moved to the first display 100 by moving the mouse 53.
You can move around. The cursor 110 can also be displayed on the computer monitor 57 and can be moved between the computer monitor 57 and the video monitor 60 by moving the mouse 53 appropriately. The control icon 108 is generated by the computer 50 and overlaid on the composite video signal 36. The control icon 108 is displayed in the center of each rectangle 102. The control icon 108 is used with the cursor 110 to control the video camera 14.

The computer 50 is programmed so that the grid lines 103, identification numbers 104, 106 and control icons 108 are automatically and properly placed. The same arrangement is performed regardless of the number of rectangles in the display 100 when the operator selects a subset of the video signals of the composite video signal 36.

To control a particular camera, the operator uses the mouse 53 to place the cursor 110 in a rectangle 102 within the display 100 in which the output of the camera is displayed and clicks on the rectangle. This operation initiates control of the camera whose output is being displayed within the current rectangle. For example, in order to control camera No. 5 (displayed in rectangle No. 6), the operator uses mouse 5
Click 3 on the top of rectangle 6. This operation is similar to clicking on a window in the display of a Macintosh computer and thus activates that window. When the operator positions the cursor in a particular rectangle and clicks the mouse 53, the overlay circuit 54 is instructed to produce a highlight box 112 around that rectangle. Highlight box 112 indicates that the computer is controlling the camera displaying the output within its highlighted rectangle. Any rectangle can be moved to other positions on the display 100. Now click the mouse on the rectangle you want to move, hold down the mouse button, move the rectangle to the desired position, and release the button. This operation is just like moving the "window" from one part of the computer display to another using the "drag and drop" feature of the Macintosh computer. An image displayed in any rectangle can be enlarged in the entire display 100 by placing the cursor 110 in the rectangle and clicking the mouse twice. To do this, computer 50 sends appropriate instructions to overlay circuit 54 and video segmenter 30. This is similar to the "window maximization" feature of Macintosh computers.

The camera displaying the output in the highlighted rectangle is the mouse 53 or the camera controller 80.
Can be controlled using any of the above. To control the camera using the mouse 53, the operator clicks the mouse on the control icon 108 in the rectangle in which the output of that camera is displayed. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the camera 5
To control the number, the operator clicks the mouse on the control icon 108 in rectangle 6. Moving the cursor 110 from the control icon 108 to the right or left pans the camera to the right or left. The farther the cursor 110 is moved from the control icon 108, the faster the camera will pan. Moving the cursor 110 up or down from the control icon 108 tilts or tilts the camera up or down. Similarly, moving the cursor diagonally moves the camera diagonally. When so done, the computer 50 automatically sends instructions through the data bus 70 to control the associated camera. Therefore, the operator is the mouse 53
Can be used to interact with the control icon 108 to control the camera 16.

The computer 50 also controls the control palette 1
Another control icon in the form of 20 may be generated. The operator can call the control palette 120 from the menu.
Overlay circuit 54 overlays control palette 120 on the video image displayed on video monitor 60. Accordingly, the control palette 120 is displayed simultaneously with the composite video signal 36. See FIG. With the control palette 120, an operator on the video monitor 60 can control the camera and the video division device by interacting with the control palette 120. The control palette 120 includes a display 1 as a window that includes a drag bar 122 and various icons that allow control of the video splitter and camera.
Appears in 00. The presence of the drag bar 122 allows the operator to drag and drop the control palette to the desired location on the display 100. This is done by clicking and holding the mouse 53 on the drag bar and the dragging palette 120.

The following icons are provided on the control palette 120 to control the camera. (See FIG. 4) Zoom controls 124 and 126 allow the operator to zoom in (by clicking on zoom control 124) or zoom in (by clicking on zoom control 126) the camera. The focus controls 128 and 130 allow the focus of the camera to be adjusted. Iris controls 132 and 134 open (by clicking in iris control 132) and close (iris control 13) the camera's iris.
By clicking on 4). When the operator clicks the mouse with any of the aforementioned icons, the computer 50 automatically generates a control signal which is sent along the data bus 70 to the appropriate camera.

The following icons are provided on the palette to control the video splitting device. The 16 split icon 136 allows the operator to split the display on the video monitor into 16 rectangles. The nine split icons 138 allow the operator to split the display on the video monitor into nine rectangles. Four
The split icon 140 allows the operator to split the display on the video monitor into four rectangles. And the full screen icon 142 allows the operator to occupy the entire display 100 with the display of only one camera. Therefore, depending on which split icon the operator clicks, the composite video signal 3
6 may include different subsets of video signal 26. When the operator clicks the mouse with any of the split icons just described, the computer 50 sends an instruction to the video split device 30 via the data bus 70. Upon instruction, the video splitting device forms a composite video signal 36 from the appropriate number of input signals 26. At about the same time, overlay circuit 54 is instructed to arrange control icons 108,
Thereby, the control icon 108 is correctly placed for each rectangle. Overlay circuit 54 also locates composite video signal 36 by locating grid lines 103.
A grid having the same number of rectangles as the images in it is formed on the display 100. Highlight box 112
Is placed on a rectangle displaying the output of a particular camera under the control of computer 50 and identification numbers 104 and 106 are placed within rectangle 102 as described above.

The frame freeze (freeze) icon 114 allows the operator to stop, ie, stop motion, the image in the selected rectangle on the video monitor 60. For example (see FIG. 2) if the operator wishes to frame the images from camera 91, the operator clicks on cursor 110 with rectangle 11. The highlight box 112 appears around the rectangle 11. Next, the operator clicks the cursor 110 on the frame end icon 114 on the control palette 120. The images in the rectangle 11 are framed until the operator again clicks on the framed icon.

The snap (instantaneous shooting) icon 146 allows the operator to frame the images within the selected rectangle and store them in the memory of the computer 50. For example, camera 1
When the output of 00 is stored in frame, the operator clicks on the rectangle 16 and then on the instantaneous shooting icon 146.

The above operations can be accomplished by programming the computer 50 appropriately. Computer 50
The details of the code programmed into are not critical to the description of the invention. Based on the above, one skilled in the art can write appropriate code for computer 50.

The computer 50 may be connected to a computer monitor 57 that displays a range of information, which may include information about the current status of the camera 14, switch 20 and divider 30. Computer 50 at location 1
Generate a graphical representation 59 containing the maps of 6 and the icons representing the cameras 14 at those locations. The icon is
The graphic display 59 is arranged at the same relative position as that on the map represented by the camera. By clicking the mouse on the icon, the operator can cause the computer 50 to instruct the switch 20 to select an arbitrary camera 14. Camera 14, switch 20 and divider 3
The activation of 0 can be controlled by interacting with the icons on the display 59 and manipulating the mouse 53 to control it. A device including a computer and computer monitor of this type is described in US Pat. No. 08 / 166,599, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0031]

The apparatus described above allows an operator to monitor the output of several cameras at different locations on the screen and control the generation of video signals directly from the video screen. This means that the operator can select a different camera and control the operation of the camera while continuing to monitor the camera output.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video surveillance apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of the information presented on the video monitor of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the control palette of the present invention and a graphical representation of the information presented on the video monitor of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the control palette of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Surveillance Equipment 16 Places 36 Synthetic Video Signal 56 Synthetic Video Display Signal 66 Video Image 120 Control Palette

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling a large number of raw video images from a plurality of video cameras for display on a video monitor in an integrated safety device for monitoring a plurality of locations, the raw video images being represented. Selecting one or more of the signals representing the raw video image transmitted to the video segmenting device to produce a single video output signal from the video segmenting device by transmitting signals to the video segmenting device; Over the single video output signal, displaying the video output signal and the overlaid graphical data on the video monitor and interacting with the graphical data on the video monitor through a computer to select the raw video image. A control method comprising controlling. 2. A method for monitoring several locations, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of video signals, selecting a subset of the video signals from the plurality of video signals, and selecting a subset of the video signals by a video divider. Forming a composite signal from the computer, generating graphic information by the computer, displaying the composite signal and the graphic information simultaneously on a monitor, and interacting with the graphic information on the monitor by a computer input device. How to monitor. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising overlaying the graphical information on the composite signal. 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting the plurality of video signals from a plurality of first video signals. 5. The method of claim 2 further comprising controlling the at least one camera by generating the video signal with a video camera at the location and interacting with the graphical information on the monitor. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the plurality of signals is performed by a video switch, the video switch further comprising controlling the video switch by the computer. 7. An integrated safety device for monitoring a plurality of locations, comprising: a plurality of video cameras arranged at the plurality of surveillance locations to generate an output signal representative of a raw image of the surveillance area. A plurality of inputs connected to the outputs of the video camera,
A video divider including a device for selecting one or more of the inputs and a device for producing a single output from the inputs; a video monitor; and an input and a video connected to the single output signal from the video divider. A computer device having an output connected to a monitor, the computer device programmed to generate a first schematic display for display on the video monitor; and the computer including an icon representing the video camera. A computer monitor connected to the computer device for displaying the generated second graphical display, wherein each icon is in the same relative location as the video camera represented by the icon on the second graphical display. A computer monitor disposed in the computer, and the computer device for controlling the operation of the computer device. An operator control input device connected to
Cooperating with the computer device to control the video divider and the input of the video divider for display on the video monitor as a composite output signal of the video divider, wherein the control of the video divider is An integrated safety device comprising an operator control input device which is provided by interacting with one graphical display on the monitor. 8. A video monitor device including a device for generating a composite video signal, wherein said generating device provides a plurality of video signals, and said composite video signal from a sub-population of said plurality of video signals. A video divider for forming a video signal and outputting the composite video signal, a video monitor for displaying the composite video signal, a computer adapted to generate graphical information, and a video monitor for simultaneously generating the composite video signal. A device for displaying graphical information on the video monitor, so that an operator can interact with at least some of the graphical information on the video monitor and thereby control the device for generating the composite video signal. A video monitor device comprising an input device connected to the computer for the purpose. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus for providing the plurality of video signals includes a video switcher for selecting the plurality of video signals from a plurality of first video signals. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus for providing the plurality of video signals comprises a plurality of video cameras. 11. The data bus connecting the computer to the device providing the plurality of video signals further comprises allowing the computer to control the device providing the plurality of video signals. Equipment. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a data bus connecting the computer to the plurality of video cameras to allow the computer to control the plurality of video cameras. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a data bus connecting the computer with the video switch to allow the computer to control the video switch. 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input device controls the device for providing the plurality of video signals by communicating information to the computer. 15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the graphical information comprises at least one icon. 16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the graphical information includes a control palette, the operation of the control palette controlling the apparatus for providing the plurality of video signals. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control palette includes an icon and controls the video divider through manipulation of the icon. 18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical information includes a control palette and includes icons that allow control of at least one of the plurality of video cameras through interaction with the icons by the input device.